so you made a mistake of upgrading your iPad / iPhone to iOS 4.3.5 / 5.0.1 – You applied jailbreak via Cydia and now iBooks crash (& you didn’t backup your SHSH).

[update 12/29] how to fix iBooks 1.5 on untethered iOS 5.01 :
- redsn0w 9b10+ (if not latest patch with corona 1.3)
- install fresh iBooks 1.5 (i’ve updated on device)
- install iBooksFix2 from repo.inanelyi.com
- reboot

[update 11/1] how to fix iBooks on jailbroken iOS 5 (need to be jb literate)

you’re not alone, this is a well known issue. unfortunately because it affects iOS 5 beta as well. i have a feeling, our heros: comex & ih8sn0w – will wait until the final iOS5 to fix this issue (cat & mouse game jb community & apple play every year …). there isn’t seem to be a solution, i’ve tried to downgrade to earlier version of iBooks – they all crash (1.2 1.3) & 1.1 opens, but no books show & you can’t even complete a sample download.

well, thx to @raktim_rakzzz i have a solution for ya:

- use pwnage tool to cook up a custom ipsw firmware & jailbreak your iPhone / iPad
- instructions here (mac)
- instead of 4.3.4 (mentioned in the instructions above) use 4.3.5 bundle – get at pwnbundles.com

ps: if you have iPad 3g … like me, you’re out of luck – 4.3.5 upgrades to firmware 07.11.01 which doesn’t support this fix

[update]

last resort is to downgrade to 4.3.3 via iFaith (win only)

ps: or … use this free epub reader app – Bluefire … until final iOS 5 fix comes out (thx to sinful)

I must admit, even though I’ve owned an iPad 1 for almost a year, I too got excited on the news of the “new” one.  Ohh, it’s skinnier? Lighter? TWO times faster? … Has cameras?!

Decided to give a local best buy a try at 3:30pm on a Friday. And what do you know – I was the 10th person out of 11 units available at that location (what a “social” experience BTW – standing in line for i product, bonding with other dummies).

(they finally took them out of hiding, looks like around 10 … there’s hope)

Joy! Right? Well, I really wanted the black one and was upset I didn’t put my old one on eBay before the announcement (apple dropped the price by $100 and another $50 if you get refurbished iPad 1). But heck, I was “lucky”, especially after hearing crazy stories of people camping out for 3 days in the rain to get one or $900 offers for the first SPOT in line (idiots).

The excitement fades after 1/2 hour.

You get  butterflies whenever you open your first apple product … viral marketing machine of that co. is just mind boggling.

But after I synced my bookmarks, few apps and started playing with this “new”, “amazing” and can’t forget “magical” device … I had a hard time finding “the it“:

• Magnetic Cover … the video blue me away, but after doing it myself twice … the “trick” gets old and you felt a bit cheated, especially at $80 for a piece of “leather” – that doesn’t even cover the back … and the alignment is … close, but not perfect (especially when you turn it around to the back)
• “Skinnier then iPhone 4″ … well, when you actually stack up against old iPad … not much difference. they actually feel very … same.
• Lighter … we are talking about 11 sheets of paper “difference”. Not noticeable either.

I do have to say, that it feels sturdier

• Cameras … Ok this feature seemed like a big one, but if you already have an iPhone … you’ll realize you don’t actually need it, except for those Skype calls. And walking around, while trying to film with an iPad … just feels awkward. Finally, when you try to edit those “films” with iMovie … you realize how crappy the resolution is. iPhone 3GS ish at best and VGA web cam up front.
  (yet, you still can’t edit photos with native photo app)
• Faster … Again, I was sooo excited for this improvement. Only … to not really notice much difference after browsing the web, running few apps and playing Angry Birds (not a graphics intensive game, I know) for few hours. Yes, it feels … maybe 8% faster, things are a bit snappier, the tabs on safari sometimes don’t reload (finally! … but after few hours, they do it again).

Overall, ipad 2 is a minor improvement at best.

I actually went back to my iPad 1 and continued playing with it for the rest of the evening (so I wouldn’t put any marks on iPad 2 and can still sell it). iPad 1 was my friend again, didn’t feel old, didn’t “lack” cameras or extra juice. Immediately realized, what I really “need” is to sell my old iPad and use the $200 difference (it would take to get new one) … And get - iPad 1, 32gb … 3G, refurbished from apple (same price as new, iPad 2 wifi). Now, that’s a good “deal”! (& yes, apple wins either way)

Summary

got to “love” apple. This release is not for existing iPad owners. It’s for those suckers that have been salivating every time they saw a TV ad or heard a friend talk about it, but considered android or the fact that ipad is too damn expensive (just like iPhone 2 vs 3G).
I mean, you most likely already have an iPhone/android,  computer (or few) and once you do buy it – you’ll find yourself only using iPad to: read books, check web and maybe email and watch movies when you travel. It’s an expensive toy, not a life or death necessity.
In today’s times, when you actually notice recession, maybe even unemployed like me – you have no business complaining about anything being too slow or not heaving enough features.

I still have respect for apple. Being able to make a grown, ass techie stand in line and feel special for a privilege of being stripped of 640 dollars – you got me again, apple

little hard drive space saving tip. say you have a movie / book / long song you want on your iPad / iPhone, but don’t want to keep it on your computer / mac

1. sync the movie with your iPad (have it in iTunes, etc) – confirm that it’s on your ipad … by playing it
2. go to iTunes / right click on the movie / song / book you want to remove
3. choose “show in finder” (it should say “show in explorer” on a pc)
4. delete it in finder (not iTunes)

that’s it! next time you sync with your iPad the movie will remain on the iPad but no longer exists on your compter